Charles O. Coogan

Charles O. Coogan, known as “Chick” or “Chickie” by his family and early friends, passed away peacefully in his sleep in his home at the age of 92 on January 26, 2025. Born on May 22, 1932 to Margaret and James Coogan in Port Chester, N.Y., he was one of seven children. He is survived by his wife of 70 years, Lillian (Siska) Coogan, his children: Lillian Dexter, Charles J. Coogan, Patricia Loeffler, Joseph Coogan, and is predeceased by his daughter Mary Wible. He was blessed with fifteen grandchildren, thirteen great grandchildren and two blended family great grandchildren. He attended elementary schools in the Port Chester area in New York, and between 1946 and 1949 the family lived on a farm in Berne, N.Y. on Coogan’s Lane. He was Captain of his high school football team and flying airplanes in his spare time. He built an airfield and hangar on the Siska farm and could often be found stitching wings in the Siska Family’s living room. He enlisted in the New York Air National Guard as an Aircraft Mechanic while still in High School and completed the General Electric (GE) Machinist Apprenticeship program right after graduating from Berne-Knox High School in 1950. He was selected for the aviation cadet program at Bartow Air Base in Florida, and in 1954 he graduated from flight training as a distinguished graduate. He then made the best decision of his life and married the love of his life, the farmer’s daughter, Lillian Siska. He returned to the National Guard flying P-51’s before transitioning to the F-94. He then moved to Florida as a primary flight instructor before transitioning to active-duty Air Force as a flight instructor at Webb Air Force Base (AFB). On May 25, 1961, while stationed at Webb, he sustained injuries ejecting from a T-33 in a mid-air collision involving three aircraft thus joining the “caterpillar club” (i.e., pilots taking the silk elevator down to the ground). His next endeavor was to earn both his Bachelor and Master’s degree within 3 years from Oklahoma State University. His next duty station was at Wright Patterson AFB in the Air Force Logistics Command. From this location he was deployed to Takhli Air Base in Thailand and devised a system for F-105 aircraft that electronically records aircraft action during combat using magnetic tape to replace camera equipment. This enabled the aircraft to locate and target SAMs more effectively earning him an Air Force Commendation Medal, an Air Force Association Citation of Honor and an honorary membership in the Society of Wild Weasels. He graduated from Air War College and returned to Wright Patterson AFB. While there, he sponsored a returning Vietnam POW and did everything in his power to help both the POW and his family through the transition. Placing family above career, and having achieved the rank of Colonel, he chose to retire in 1979 after 30 years of service and began working at Battelle Memorial Institute. Having flown into the Wayne County Airport in Monticello, Kentucky on trips to the houseboat at Lake Cumberland, he stepped in to fill a void and established Quality Aero to manage the Wayne County Airport. After a brief stint at Battelle, he and a very smart lady, Lillian Coogan, went out on their own, to begin consulting as Acquisition Logistics Engineering (ALE) which recently celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2024. He was a certified professional logistician (CPL) and a Fellow of International Society of Logistics (SOLE). He wrote the Forward for Ben Blanchard’s Book, Logistics Engineering & Management, and developed Front End Analysis. He also developed Reliability and Maintainability Information System (REMIS) which is still used by the Air Force today. He worked hard, but helped everyone play harder. He had a love for sailing and shared his love for the water with his family. This included sailing on “Scamper” and “Catch 22” and sharing time on the houseboats (“Happy Days”, “Nora Jean II”, and “Second Wind”) on Lake Cumberland. He passed his passion for flying, teaching others, and serving his country on to not only his sons and grandchildren, but to countless students throughout his Air Force service and civilian life. While he had great success in his military career and in retirement ventures as a logistician and instructor, he was even more impressive in his personal life. He could make or fix just about anything and loved having helpers he could train while he worked. He always cared about his family and the people he met. He went to great lengths to care for family members and would give you his time and the shirt off his back. He always had a smile and a warm welcoming embrace for everyone, and he enjoyed dancing through life with his best friend. His legacy will live on, and he will be deeply missed by all who knew him. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Charlie’s honor to Semper Fi & America’s Fund at https://thefund.org or via mail to: Semper Fi & America’s Fund 825 College Blvd Suite 102, PMB 609 Oceanside, CA 92057 The viewing will be held on Monday, February 10, 2025, from 6pm to 8pm at Rutherford Funeral Home at Powell, 450 West Olentangy Street, Powell, Ohio 43065. A Mass of Christian Burial will be Celebrated on Tuesday, February 11, 2025, at St. Peter Roman Catholic Church located at 6899 Smoky Row Rd, Columbus, OH 43235 beginning at 11 am with interment immediately following.

Charles O. Coogan

May 22, 1932 - January 26, 2025